Which figure is recognized by Sunnis as the first rightly guided caliph?

Which figure is recognized by Sunnis as the first rightly guided caliph?

• A. Abu Bakr
• B. Umar
• C. Ali
• D. Uthman

Answer: (A)

Abu Bakr is recognized as the first rightly guided caliph in Sunni Islam because he was Prophet Muhammad’s close companion and trusted leader who was chosen to head the Muslim community after Muhammad’s death through consultation and communal consent. He faced the challenge of keeping the community united at a fragile moment, led decisive actions to preserve the faith and the state, and oversaw the early consolidation of the caliphate, including the collection and preservation of the Qur’an in a single manuscript. These moves established a precedent for legitimate leadership based on consensus and service to the community, which is why Sunnis start the tradition of the rightly guided Caliphs with him. The later caliphs—Umar, Uthman, and Ali—are also regarded as rightly guided and follow him in the Rashidun sequence, but Abu Bakr marks the beginning.